


The Land of Fire and Bones

by Moonlady9



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adult Content, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fairy Tale with a Twist, Gore, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Podfic & Podficced Works, Podfic Available, Podfic Length: 10-20 Minutes, Sex, Sexual exploration, Vaginal Fingering, Violence, but is she in distress?, but that is the age of adulthood in her world, damsel Sakura, dragon kakashi, marking as underage, she will be 16/17 for most of the story, take that as you will
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:33:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24534664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonlady9/pseuds/Moonlady9
Summary: Sakura Haruno had healing magic. She had always used it for the benefit of others until the same powers that had always been used to help, betray her. Her village now fears her, curses her and exiles her.Everything stripped from her, left in a valley with a lone tower that was sealed and hidden so she could never escape and never be found. This was her fate.At least until he arrives. A beast of tales, magnificent and terrifying, a silver dragon. Meeting this dragon was were her life took a turn into a road she had never expected.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Hatake Kakashi
Comments: 171
Kudos: 301





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone,  
> Here's another story from my little head.  
> I love fairy tales, especially when told with a twist. I have been throwing this around in my mind for a long time and it finally clicked so here it is.
> 
> There will be typical fantasy elements, like gore and violence, and in my usual style, expect sex.  
> I want to make it clear, the sex parts will be happening when Sakura is 16, which is underage, but in her world that is the age of adulthood. Take that as you will, no pressure if you don't want to continue on, but if you do, just be aware.
> 
> I really hope you enjoy.  
> Please don't be shy and drop me a comment.
> 
> Now on to the story.

##  **[Land of Fire and Bones Ch 1 ](https://archive.org/details/dragon-ch-1_202006) **

## Length: 15:45

## 

Pain radiated from her temple as consciousness brought her back to the land of the living. Sakura wished they had just killed her instead, but they had been too scared. Cowards. Her body ached, taking it slow, she managed her eyes opened. Grey stone surrounded her. At least they had left her on the bed. Angry, harsh cries ripped past her throat. The cold stone walls echoed back her sobs.

She was cursed, they had said. She was a danger, they explained. She can’t be in the village, they cried. Send her to the Lone Tower in the Hidden Valley, they agreed. Then seal the only road in so she could never leave, and no one would ever find her, they concluded.

She was only a child of thirteen.

Sakura had begged, screamed, kicked, and scratched, pounded on the door until she was bloody and bruised. Someone had hit her temple, leaving her in darkness until she awoke again.

How could people do this to a child! Shunned away in this tower, separated from the world, from her parents, her friends, the boy she had hoped to marry one day. All of it gone, left behind like some distant dream.

She didn’t bother leaving the bed, spending the first three days and nights curled on the same spot they had left her in a dark haze of hatred, bitterness, fear, and longing. If the window hadn’t been barred, she would have made a bigger effort to go to it.

On the fourth day she was forced up by a thundering roar in the clear blue sky, and a quaking tremble through the tower. She screamed in fear as waves of heat surrounded the tower. Then the sky turned black. Finding strength enough to run to the window and looking up to the sky to see a dark shadow cover the land. She gasped. A dragon. Following the shadow around the windows of the tower, hoping to catch a glimpse of such a magical beast was the only thing keeping her on her feet. She had heard of dragons in story books, from the warriors in town, but never could she have imagined seeing one with her own eyes. Her desire to continue seeing the magnificent beast had her running down the stairs to the courtyard. The dragon was circling low over the valley.

It was beautiful. Its scales of silver and underside of peridot. She laughed, not knowing what else to do, just laughed until tears poured down her face. Her eyes were streaming, her laughter hysterical. She was left alone in a tower with a dragon. She was never getting out of here. This was going to be her life. How perfect.

The dragon landed less gracefully than she had expected. It let out a pained groan that shook her bones. Curiosity overtook her awe, maybe it was hurt? She stepped out onto the valley and started walking towards the enormous being carefully. The thought that fear should have been the more prominent feeling instead of worry crossed her mind, but what was the point anymore. It’s not like her life had any value, she had been left here to rot. At least being eaten by a dragon was a better story than her dying of starvation or loneliness. As she neared the dragon, the atmosphere change scent to ozone and phosphorus; lighting and molten metal. It hung acrid in the air. A miasma of storms and the blazing fires of a metalsmith.

The closer she got the more in awe she became, it was just laying down on the verdant field like a painting. Its wings larger than the biggest sail she had ever seen. Its head was the size of a carriage, its torso bigger than her old house. Then there was the tail, she couldn’t even think of anything to compare it too, but the silver scales were coated in scarlet. It must be blood.

The dragon lifted its large head, she froze. Its eyes like raging storm clouds, mesmerizing and terrifying. It opened its enormous mouth, sharp teeth bigger than her, and then the roar. A sound like she had never heard before, reverberating to her very core. It was like a hurricane, and avalanche of rock and chaffing steel.

Sakura whimpered and shook, petrified of the feeling and the overwhelming noise. It breathed on her; hot steam filled the air. “Please, it hurts,” she cried as her arms curled around herself in a vain attempt of protection from the heat.

As if understanding, it stopped. Instead it sniffed her, eyeing her curiously.

Straightening up slowly she bowed her head slightly. “Thank you.” She should show her manners, just because she had been thrown here, didn’t mean she had to shame her mother’s memory will ill manners. “My name is Sakura.” She looked over at its tail. “You are hurt. I can help.”

It snorted at her as she stepped forward.

She stopped. “I can help you. I can heal.”

It gave her a look of suspicion.

“I am cursed, or so I’m told, but I can heal you if you let me. Or you can eat me, at this point I really don’t care,” she added dismissively with a shrug of her shoulders, holding its gaze for a few moments.

Its large eyes intelligent, marbled in the deepest grays. Its slited pupil widened slightly, then it lowered its massive head in permission, bending its sinuous neck to the injured area, licking at it.

She stepped under its wing. Its hind leg was embedded with a sword. It was turning the skin around it a caustic violet. “Got into a fight with a knight it looks like.” Her nose scrunched in disgust as she inched closer to inspect the wound, it was putrid, “And they either poisoned it or cursed the sword. This is going to be tricky and hurt like hell.” She looked up to its huge eye so it was warned and wouldn’t bite her head off while healing it. The thought made her smirk up at it, “Think you can handle the pain?”

It snorted derisively at her.

She chuckled lightly. “You’re a big tough…” looking down to confirm, “man. Just don’t bite my head off. It will hurt. A lot.”

He moved his wing aside for her.

Stepping closer, she grabbed the handle of the sword. “Alright, I’m taking it out.” Finding solid footing on his leg between some scales, she yanked with all her might. She fell on her back from the force as another painful roar tore through the air.

Rubbing her backside as she got up, she decided to tease him. “Are all men such babies? You’re a dragon for goodness sakes.” She threw the blade away from them before looking back at him in warning. “This next part is going to hurt even more.”

He growled lightly at her. His whine was almost childish.

“Look, I need to heal the infection or remove the curse, it won’t be pretty, but I’ll try to be fast.” How odd to be showing a dragon some bedside manner. This was an interesting day she would never forget for so many different reasons.

He snapped at the air in irritation. She went back to his thigh, blood oozing, thick and metallic. The wound needed to be cleaned. Looking around to find something to soak up the blood, realizing there was nothing other than what she was wearing. Her slip would do, not that she had reason for modesty here. Reaching under her skirt, she took off the undergarment.

He rumbled as the cloth pressed into the raw and sore muscle.

“Oh stop, you big baby.” The teasing in her voice meant to calm him as she tried to soak up the blood so she could see the wound better. She sniffed at the gash now that it was mostly cleaned. It smelled caustic, like rotting flesh. “How long have you had this in here?” She asked mostly to herself as her bare finger touched the wound, trying to feel for any other damage.

_Like 3 weeks_

She yelped in surprise, “You can talk?”

_I’m a dragon, I can’t talk, I can communicate with you since you have touched my blood._

Dumbfounded, “I have never heard of that.”

_Well you humans are so eager to kill us you never found out what the blood of a live dragon can do._ He huffed. _Just get on torturing me with your “healing”._

She straightened herself. “Right, we’ll talk about this later.”

_Later? Why would I stay here?_

Sakura panicked. “No, don’t leave me, please, I don’t want to be alone here.”

He scoffed. _I am a dragon, not a companion._

Tears welled up, her heart sank, of course he wouldn’t stay, she was meant to live out the remainder of her days alone. Its not like she would go back to the village or go back to humans. The scabs on her fingers from clawing at stone and wood as they transported her were a reminder of how much they hated her for who she was. “Then, once I’m done healing you, will you kill me? I’m too much of a coward to do it myself.”

His head cocked in surprise. What an odd human. _Kill you? You don’t want me to take you to the humans?_

She hiccupped between sobs. They wouldn’t want her back, she would never fit in. Sure, she could try to hide who and what she was, but she didn’t have it in her to try. What did it matter if she stayed in this empty valley or went to a populated village? Her powers would never be used again. That wasn’t something that sat well with her. Why would she want to go back? She had no real, honest future. Wiping her tears, her emerald eyes turned up to him defiantly. “No, humans sent me here because I am cursed. They cast me away. I am not wanted by their kind.”

_Humans aren’t very friendly, are they?_ He mused.

Looking down, she was reminded of the good people her heart ached for. Her parents were probably dead. Condemned and killed for having her for a daughter. There was her best friend, who had taught her to have confidence, and the boy who always smiled at her like she was his sun. “There are a few, like my parents, my friends, but I can’t go back to them ever again.”

_I’ll think about it_ , he conceded.

He didn’t really care, human problems were just that, human problems, but considering that she was healing him, he could at least mull it over. He wouldn’t eat her, she was too scrawny, she looked weak and tired. How she was standing was a mystery to him. He could just chomp at her, but then it would be annoying to clean his teeth and get her tiny bones out from between them. There was always fire, he liked cooking his enemies in fire, watching them run around screaming, but she wasn’t an enemy and that wouldn’t be a fitting end for her. He ran through different scenarios in his mind as she lowered her head.

Sakura shrugged, setting to work. She would heal him anyways, withholding aid just didn’t feel right in her stomach. Going back to his leg, placing her hand over the wound, she closed her eyes and concentrated soothing energy into the palms of her hands. Searching for the source of the damage until she felt malevolence. It was a curse.

“It’s a curse, I need to come up with a counter. Bear with me as I flow more energy into you.” Taking a deep focusing breath, she increased her magic sorting through the malice finding the right kindness to heal. He bellowed in agony. She needed to find the deepest the sword reached and contain the spell, tracing the dark magic then engulfing it in her own, she started to draw it out. His leg trembled, “Please, don’t move, this is hard enough as it is,” she said through gritted teeth.

It took a great amount of effort to hold himself steady for her. The energies conflicting, shooting agony and relief through him. The curse was powerful, attacking back once it recognized her light and he was the battleground. This little human held much power to fight back so well.

Once he was still again, she focused, working to extract the darkness out. With one more surge, managing to contain it, she pulled away from him extracting the darkness within him. She compressed the curse into an obsidian stone and held it out in her palm for him to see.

_That’s the curse?_ His large eye stared at it in distrust.

“I turned it into an object. It’s easier to handle that way, and it can be imbued later.”

_Why not destroy it?_ The world would be better off without such horrid things.

“It doesn’t really work that way. Energies can’t be destroyed, just converted. I can’t destroy the curse but I can contain it.” Slipping the stone into her pocket so she could finish the last part. “ Now, let me patch up that wound, this won’t hurt. As much.” She smiled. This part was easy, just a cut. The biggest, deepest cut she had ever healed, on the most exotic creature in existence, but this she could do in her sleep.

Once the wound was closed neatly, she stepped back so he could inspect her work with careful eyes, a sniff, and a lick. “Satisfied?”

_Thank you for your assistance. You’re not so bad for a human._

“I have been cursed with healing. I might as well use it for something good I suppose.” The sword she had taken out of him glinted at her; she went over to pick it up.

He stretched his wings, not feeling the aching tightness anymore. _This feels good._

Sakura was awestruck yet again at his magnificence and brilliance. The light reflecting off his scales like mirrors in the right angle. What a wonderous sight to behold.

He bent down to her so she could see his eyes. She was so tiny, a child really, with eyes like emeralds. It would be a shame to grant her request. _I won’t kill you, I’m no murderer. I can’t stay here, but I can visit you from time to time._

A sad sigh escaped her, she would live, and be alone. Why had she expected him to kill her? Just because he was a dragon? He wasn’t as vicious as the books made him seem. “That would be nice,” she said instead.

_Bathe in my blood, you will need it for when I come visit._ He pointed his snout at the blood-soaked rag.

Picking it up with care, she nodded slowly. Strange request, but he was a dragon and who was she to refuse. “What’s your name?”

_Kakashi. I’ll see you soon._

She tried to watch him fly off, but the wind and air pressure were too much, she covered her ears and closed her eyes. When she opened them he was soaring through the sky.

Going back to her tower no longer seemed such a dreary concept. She found the meager food they had left her and scarfed it down, not realizing how hungry she was. She made a fire and heated some water for a bath, dropping the bloody cloth in the bathwater, watching as it bled, turning the water a deep scarlet.

Taking an unsure breath, she stepped in. Nothing felt different. Maybe she had to be completely submersed? Pinching her nose so she could sink down completely. Staying under for as long as her breath would allow. Her lungs complained at the lack of oxygen until she surfaced, gasping for air. Still nothing. He was probably playing a prank on her. She drained the water and took a bath with clean water instead.

Hopefully he would keep his word and visit her like he promised. Maybe it would be enough to try to wait for him to come back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi,  
> I hope everyone is staying safe and sane.  
> here is another chapter of this story.  
> Special thanks to katydid001 for being such a wonderful beta!  
> I have been messing around with podfics and thought i would record this story, I went back to chapter 1 and recorded that one adding the link if you are interested.  
> Let me know your thoughts on it.  
> Hope my voice isn't annoying lol.  
> Thank to all of you.  
> Much Love!

##  **[Land of Fire and Bones Ch 2 ](https://archive.org/details/dragon-ch-2) **

## Length: 14:16

Weeks passed. She read books, painted, knitted, went to lay out on the riverbank, made flower crowns in the fields, anything to pass the time. There was no point in dressing in so many layers like she used to before. She wore thin dresses without slips and went without shoes often as she explored the valley. They had at least exiled her to a beautiful place. There were pools of calm water where the river flowed through, and she spent the warm days swimming in them.

Letting the sun and air dry her, she laid on a blanket naked watching the sky. A dark shadow passed over. Sitting up excitedly, she pulled on her dress and ran up the bank. Sakura grinned as he landed near her. “Kakashi!” she laughed, “You came to visit me!” She couldn’t stop the tears that fell. He hadn’t forgotten her, he came back, she had been so lonely.

He lowered his head to the ground for her. _There’s a storm coming, and I didn’t think you wanted to be alone for that._

Reaching him, she sniffled. “Thank you, I’m just glad you came back.” She had missed him so very much. Without restraint she threw herself forward to nuzzle his jowls.

 _You bathed in my blood?_ He held steady for her. She was so tiny compared to other humans, almost as big as one of his teeth.

She nodded. “Yes, but it didn’t do anything.”

He chuckled and breathed out a small flame into her face.

She gasped. It was warm like a flickering flame, but there was no pain, no charred flesh, she was unharmed. “It doesn’t burn!”

_Yes, you are protected from dragon fire as long as I live._

Looking down at her hands in awe, “What else can dragon’s blood do?”

 _So much more, but I won’t tell you all our secrets._ He liked her innocent curiosity; those emerald eyes sparkling with excitement.

There was a rumbling in the distance, she looked up as storm clouds started to appear in the horizon, darkening the clear sky. “I guess that’s the storm. It looks bad.”

 _You should get inside._ He nudged her gently.

She grabbed her things and headed back. “You can stay in the courtyard, if you want, you should fit there, and I can sleep on the bottom floor with you.”

Calling it a courtyard was giving it more credit that it was due, it was just a paved area at the bottom of the tower. There were a few rooms on the bottom that had been used for barracks and storage. He flew over and laid down. He had promised her he would visit, and he kept his promises. He studied her, she was smiling and asking him questions as she set up her nest. She was an odd human, actually wanting to spend time with him. She actually seemed happy for it. It was probably why her people thought her cursed.

Sakura brought down a mat and blankets. She made a fire in the covered corridor so she could be near him. When she looked up at him, he was inspecting the rest of the tower, his neck twisting around.

_Why did they leave you in such a desolate place? You mentioned a curse._

Sakura wrapped a blanket around herself, more for comfort than for heat, he was giving off enough that she was warm. “I have healing magic, and apparently it’s not very common magic to have.”

The sky darkened with storm clouds and rain started to fall. He laid down and curled up, his head under the roof, _Healing magic seems like a good thing to have_.

“Yes, but I can also hurt others, give another the disease or injuries I cured from someone else. I don’t do it, but there was an instance where I couldn’t control it and killed someone.” The memory of that day clouded over her heart. She had always tried to be good, to be useful, a healer, never a killer. No matter the circumstances, yet that night…

He breathed out a snort. _They probably deserved it._

He broke her from her thoughts, a dragon had a better opinion of her than the villagers. She giggled at the absurdity. “It’s nice you think of me being such a kind person.”

He had never heard a giggle before, it was sweet and melodic, he liked it more than he expected. _You don’t seem the kind to hurt others without cause._ He watched as she played with her rose-quartz hair, twirling a strand through her fingers.

“He wanted to hurt me. I panicked and without thinking he was filled with every injury and illness I had ever healed.” She looked down, “I didn’t know who he was, but it turns out it was the son of a wealthy merchant.” The rain pattered on the roof and pinged off his scales. “I’m sorry, you would probably be in a cave or something warm and dry, instead of getting wet.”

He snorted. _I don’t mind the rain._

Smiling up at him, “I like storms.” She was surprised how easy he was to talk to. He was good company. Somewhere in the night, she had crawled under his wing and fallen asleep. It was warm and cozy, protecting Sakura from the winds and rains.

Kakashi sniffed her as she slept, he was reminded of peach and cherry orchards in bloom. She was so small and fragile, yet, she had been so brave and fierce. Not any human would come up to him and heal him like she had. Most were petrified of him or tried to kill him. He curled around her and slept.

The storm continued the next morning. Waking up, she dug through her provisions. Sighing, she looked over the measly remains of her food, it wouldn’t last much longer. She had been fishing when she could and tried to gather fruits and nuts from the valley, but there wasn’t much.

 _Why don’t you hunt?_ he asked, seeing her meager food stores.

She shrugged. “I don’t have anything to hunt with, not that I would know how to, and there isn’t any game in the valley. When they left me here, they didn’t intend for me to survive.”

 _Humans really aren’t very nice,_ he concluded.

She chuckled with a wide smile. “I’m nice.”

He huffed. _I suppose you are._

When the storm passed, he left her. Sorrow filled her heart as she watched him disappear into the sky. The next time he visited she might not be alive.

She was sitting in the field of flowers, making a crown for lack of anything else to do, when there was a crash as a large carcass fell before her. She screamed.

 _Thought you might need some food_ , his voice amused at her reaction.

She looked up to see Kakashi flying low. He landed in front of his gift, nudging it towards her.

Laughing now that fright was gone, “Oh, it’s food, glad random dead animals aren’t falling from the skies.” She stood up to inspect her present, it was a large deer. “Thank you. I can’t eat it all before it goes bad, I’ll take what I can, and you can have the rest.”

He twisted his head to his back, preening his wings. _That sounds fine_.

Taking a hind-quarter, she skinned, cleaned, and prepared the venison. He breathed out a small flame to cook it for her before he tore at the remainder of the carcass. She ate with him. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined sharing a meal with a dragon.

As time passed, he would bring her food and supplies, though not always in a way she expected. He thought she needed a bow and arrows for hunting, so he brought her the body of a warrior.

“Why would you bring me a dead body!” she yelled, startled at the lack of decorum for the dead.

He picked at his teeth with his talons. _You need hunting weapons, there’s going to be a migration soon._

She sighed, she really needed to stop being so surprised when he brought her “gifts”. She looked down at the lifeless man, “Was he trying to hurt you?”

 _He came to my nest with weapons, he wasn’t trying to be my friend,_ Kakashi answered smoothly.

She took a deep breath; she couldn’t turn down a gift, and he was right, she needed weapons. Taking the bow and arrows, along with a dirk, and even some of the armor and when she had finished stripping the body, she stood back, “Now what am I supposed to do with a dead body?”

Kakashi was laying out in the sun. _I’ll take him when I leave._

“Are you going to eat him?” She didn’t feel bad, exactly; just curious.

_Humans don’t taste very good, especially the warriors, all muscles and sinews, get stuck in my teeth._

Sakura laughed, it shouldn’t be so funny, the thought of a dragon not wanting to eat a human, but she could remember when she had to eat food she didn’t like. “Well, thank you. I should practice using this.” She held up the bow, grateful it was a short bow.

As years passed, she looked forward to visits from her dragon. She had gotten used to his gifts. He had brought her a cart of supplies more than once, it seemed he didn’t always know what was in them. She ended up with an array of things, from fabrics, to rugs, candles, books, toys, and even jewelry.

Sakura looked out to the sky, the air was chilly, snow mostly melted away, but she could still see it lingering in a few places. She sighed as she placed her chin on her window. It was her sixteenth birthday.

No one was around to celebrate. It was just another day, but the nostalgia of wanting to commemorate another year of life, the year she would be considered a woman, was overpowering. She dug through a chest and found a beautiful red dress. She found some matching jewelry, and spent the morning braiding her hair and weaving flowers into it. She made a small cake from what she could find. It was really more like a loaf of bread, but she walked to the cherry trees that were blooming and ate it, tears quietly falling.

She was startled from her depressive thoughts as Kakashi landed beside her. He spit something out at her. She smiled. It didn’t matter what he brought her, just that he was there. She ran to him, “Kakashi!” she nuzzled against his neck, she had noticed he was getting bigger, if that was even possible. “What merchant did you steal from today?” she teased.

 _It smelled of spices._ He answered. He watched her unpack the chest he brought her, her eyes bright with joy. _That’s a nice dress. You did your hair, and put on jewelry_. The rubies glinted off her porcelain skin.

She blushed. She wasn’t expecting him to notice, “Oh, um, it was in one of the things you brought once, and well, it’s my birthday, I thought I should dress up. Even if it’s just for me.”

 _Birthday?_ He hadn’t heard of the term before.

“It’s just to celebrate another year of life, growing older,” she explained, as she looked through the chest of spices. “Thank you, this is great. I can make a nice dinner tonight.”

 _How old are you?_ He had never thought to ask before, humans were so strange.

“I’m sixteen today. A woman now, according to custom.” She grinned, “How old are you?”

 _About 200 years old, give or take. I’m still young for a dragon._ He explained.

She looked deeper in the chest and saw bottles. She pulled one out, “Oh this is perfect! Wine!”

He let out an amused snort as he watched her uncork the bottle and take a drink, her face scrunching. _Don’t like it?_

“It’s just sour and bitter.” She took another drink, “Not what I expected, but not bad I guess.” She went over to sit by his side under his wing, “Thanks for being my friend, Kakashi.”

He quirked his head. She called him a friend: a human was his friend. He laid his head down and kept her warm.

Geese had been migrating again, and she had a good amount of them. She had become an expert archer quickly after Kakashi gave her the bow. Coming to the conclusion that she would survive, she wouldn’t give people the satisfaction of laying down and dying. This was her land now, and she would live as best she could.

As she cooked a goose with the new spices Kakashi had brought her, she reflected on the last three years. She looked out to the courtyard to see her silver dragon. This wasn’t a bad life. It wasn’t what she had expected, if she was still in the village maybe she would be getting married, her family around her. It didn’t help to think of the ‘what ifs’. What she did know is that she had a very unique friend, and she was grateful to Kakashi.

She liked reading to him when he came to visit, they talked, he would ask her about her garden. If she ever mentioned needing something, he would provide it in his own way. It wasn’t perfect, but how many people could say they had befriended a dragon.

She made herself a plate, grabbed a bottle of wine and the book she had been reading to him, then sat under the awnings and ate with him.

Kakashi laid out, relaxing as she read. He liked her voice, it was soothing, filling the silence he was so accustomed to. Hers was the only human voice that wasn’t shouting to attack or kill him. He appreciated that. He studied her, she had said it was her birthday, that for her people it was the day she would be a woman. She had grown taller, her waist slimmed, and hips flared. She didn’t look so fragile anymore. She looked strong. He was proud of his human friend.

He stayed with her for a few days, and brought her back venison, her favorite. Her smile was wide as she hugged around his neck. She was a good human, strange, but his little human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts on the story and if you listend to the podfic.  
> i appreciate all of you.  
> please stay safe!
> 
> My Tumblr:  
> https://moonlady9.tumblr.com/
> 
> My Twitter:  
> https://twitter.com/Moonlady9_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi,  
> Here is another instalment to this story.  
> I hope you enjoy.  
> Special thanks to katydid001 for being such a great beta.  
> Thank to all of you.  
> Much Love!

##  **[Land of Fire and Bones Ch 3 ](https://archive.org/details/land-of-fire-and-bones-ch-3) **

## Length: 20:51

Summer was one of her favorite times in the valley. The sun gleamed across the fields, all the flowers bright and the river warm. Sakura was swimming when Kakashi’s shadow fell upon her. An excited grin spread across her face. She was so happy that he was coming to see her that she jumped out of the water, not bothering to cover up, her modesty long gone. He was a dragon and the only contact she had, no point for modesty.

Her smile turned into a frown when she noticed his clumsy landing and then saw his face. His right eye was sliced down, he was groaning in agony. Happiness turned bitter in her mouth; her dragon was hurt.

“Kakashi, what happened?” her voice wavered as she reached him, his massive head bent down for her to tend to better. There was so much blood dripping down. The cut was deep, but luckily looked like a clean slash.

 _A knight attacked me while I was sleeping. It burns._ He growled as pain radiated from his eyes down his neck like acid.

Her fingers prodded gently at the wound. She could sense malice. “It was a cursed blade. Can you try not to get attacked with magical objects? It would make my job so much easier,” her voice light, trying to make him feel better as she guided him to the river so she could wash the injury.

 _It’s not like I choose who comes to attack me and when,_ he grumbled. He knew she was doing her best to be gentle, but still, it stung.

“Well, maybe you need to set up an appointment book or something.” She tried to keep his mind off of the pain as she washed him.

 _I’ll leave a register outside my cave from now on._ Her giggle made him momentarily forget the agony.

“Alright, this is going to hurt.” She prepared him as she breathed in deep, focusing on the energy invading him and her own internal magic to match it.

He roared as her magic entered him. It was intrusive and went against all his instincts, but he did his best to hold still. She was trying to help him after all. The more he accepted her; the easier it seemed for her to fight this curse. It didn’t seem to take as long as the last time she withdrew a curse from him.

Once she didn’t have to focus on forcing her way in, she could concentrate on containing the malice. It was a very strong spell and it seeped deeper into him. She couldn’t get it all, but she knew she could get enough that what was leftover would dissipate on its own with time. When she finally finished, she held a blood red stone. Her fingers ran over the jagged flesh on his face that she couldn’t heal, “I’m sorry, this magic was too strong for me to heal completely, it will leave a scar.”

Cracking his marred eye open, _It’s fine. I don’t mind the scar._ He tilted his head to see the reflection on the water.

She chuckled, “It makes you look dangerous.”

 _Because being a dragon isn’t fearsome enough?_ His head quirked sideways at her.

She laughed. His sense of humor always caught her by surprise. “You’re right. You’re fearsome, and you are getting bigger, soon you’ll be as big as the mountains.”

He scoffed. _That’s ridiculous_ , but she seemed to enjoy teasing him. With a long tired sigh, he flew over to the fields and laid down.

Sakura was worried, she grabbed her dress, pulled it on and followed him. “Are you alright?” While he was often quite lazy and would just lay about, this seemed slightly different.

 _I’m very drained of energy right now._ He closed his eyes.

“It’s the remnants of the magic I couldn’t get out.” Not wanting to leave him alone she sat under his shoulder, keeping an eye on him as he slept. His deep breaths made the grass under his nose sway, she almost laughed at how at peace he looked, and she was grateful that he felt comfortable enough with her to show this side of him.

The magic of the curse seemed to have a long-lasting effect. He healed slowly and slept for days, unmoving. Unsure if this was typical dragon behavior or if it was the curse, she hardly left his side. She slept in the fields with him, under the protection of his wing, not wanting to leave him unattended.

On the fifth morning, as she woke up, his wing wasn’t covering her as it usually did. The open sky was above her instead. He must have left. She sat up slowly, yawning and stretching, taking it as a good sign that he was gone, though he could have at least told her he was leaving. Maybe he felt good enough to stretch his wings. Hopefully, he would come back soon. As she attempted to gather her blankets, she felt a weight on the fabrics preventing her from pulling them to her. Looking over to see what was holding her blankets captive, she screamed. There was a man sleeping beside her.

“Who are you?” She scurried up to her feet. She hadn’t seen another living human in so long, the last time was when they were dragging her to the tower.

The man got up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “What do you mean?” his voice was thick with sleep, grogginess making him unaware of his surroundings.

She gasped; he was naked. “Oh gods, cover up!” She looked away, her cheeks aflame. Sakura had never really seen a man naked. Did all men look like him? His skin a glimmering alabaster, muscles lean but defined. Of course not all men looked like him.

“Why?” She had never told him to cover up before, what was the problem?

She turned back to him, keeping her eyes firmly on his face, “Because you can’t be running around naked!” Now that she was looking at him, she took in his unique silver hair that shimmered in the morning sun. When he turned to her, she saw that he had a young face, not much older than her, he was very handsome. There was a beauty mark under the right side of his lip and a fresh scar from his right cheek up to his eyebrow. His eyes were like storm clouds. She knew those eyes.

She gasped, “Kakashi?”

He looked down at himself, he groaned. Her reaction now making sense, he had legs, toes, hands, and fingers. He wasn’t a dragon; he had transformed into a human. “I hate being in this form. That stupid curse.”

“You can change forms?” She was shocked, but as she studied him there was a familiarity to him, even his voice sounded like the thoughts he projected into her head.

“Yes, but it’s not something I enjoy doing.” He touched his scarred eye, the culprit of the state he was in. “It still burns, it’s draining me.”

Gingerly, she stepped forward, reaching up on her toes to inspect his eye, feeling for the damage. “There’s still remnants of the curse, it will take some time to heal.” She couldn’t help but let her own eyes wander, he was taller than her by about a head, his shoulders strong, she flushed as she looked lower. “Well, we need to get you some pants if you’re going to stay in this form.”

“I don’t understand why.” He stood still as she wrapped a blanket around him.

“Because you can’t be naked,” she huffed. Her heart couldn’t handle it, it was thundering against her ribs as it was, and there was a strange lightness and molten heat in her stomach.

“But you’re naked sometimes,” he countered. It was just the two of them, she had never shown such shyness to him before. Humans were so strange, but he was loving the pink blush on her cheeks.

She growled, she didn’t have a good answer for that, he had seen her naked in the past, but she never imagined he was anything more than a dragon. “Just, humor me.”

They went back to the tower. There were men’s clothes in one of the chests he had brought her. She threw him a pair of pants and shirt which he eyed suspiciously. “I’ll wear the pants but not the shirt.”

Trying to calm her building frustration she let out a slow and even breath. “Fine.” She could only expect so much. Crossing her arms and turning around to give him privacy, she listened to the rumple of clothes. It had been three years since she had been in the presence of another person, did he count as one? He was a dragon but now he was a man. How did that work?

“Are you hungry?” She didn’t know what to ask but needed to change the direction her mind was starting to go.

“I could eat.” He had been hibernating when he had been attacked. Now that he was awake, his stomach growled in complaint.

He followed her down to the kitchen, the cloth of the loose pants made him itchy. How did humans wear so much clothes? And this material? This was so inconvenient; it didn’t even really offer protection like his scales did. Still, he kept his complaints and discomfort to himself. Sakura seemed lost in thought, probably due to his appearance.

Kakashi walked down the steps carefully, his spatial awareness skewed now that he was so much smaller than he was used to. His balance was off, his entire body was different, and he had to learn how to move it accordingly. He was relieved when they made it to the kitchen without him tripping. He stood by awkwardly as she heated up a stew and served him. He took the bowl; he had seen her eat with this before. He tilted it to his lips. He scrunched his nose.

“Don’t like it?” she asked. Maybe he hated it. It’s not like he ate her food ever, he just ate the game he brought, and this was fish soup.

“It’s just—different.” He took another mouthful. It wasn’t bad. In fact, the more he ate it the more he liked it.

“I suppose you’re used to tearing apart raw meat,” she chuckled, getting a bowl for herself now that she saw he was eating.

“Not raw, I always char it first.” He went back to the pot and served himself a second helping. Fish was really delicious.

“Oh right, don’t like it raw, so delicate for a dragon. Well this isn’t charred, but it should do.” She grinned as he scarfed down a second bowl.

The food was so good he let her little ribbing go. He nodded; it would definitely do. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been in this form.”

“Hopefully, it passes soon. Just rest, it should help with the healing.” She took the bowl from him when they finished eating.

This body was strange to him, he had just eaten such little food and felt a soothing comfort in his belly that made him want to lay about as if he’d eaten a whole elk.

“Can you read to me?” He liked it when she read to him. Her voice was soothing, and she usually read to him after they ate, this was just a little different.

She smiled. It seems he liked to keep with tradition. “Sure, I have the books in the other room.”

They walked over, she had managed to make a nest of sorts with blankets and fabrics. He went to lay down on a particularly comfortable looking cushion and throw, curling around them.

Sakura picked a book, a romance as usual. It was surreal to see him like this. To see him as a man, a human. No scales, no wings, no gnashing teeth, nor sinuous tail. He was now porcelain skin that still seemed to reflect all the light in the room. His arms and chest still looked all encompassing. His long, lean legs circled the cushion like his tail would, but more than anything: his eyes. She could see both at the same time now, the marbled shades of gray, hurricane irises, they were just the same and it was even more unnerving. 

Now, as a human man, all the qualities she loved about him made her stomach flip and flutter in a different way she wasn’t sure how to explain. The memories of a boy she once liked ghosted across her mind, and that was the closest she could compare to what she was feeling now. And still it was nothing like that. It was so much more. He had always just been her dragon and now she didn’t understand where these feelings were coming from. It must be because he was the only human male she had seen in the last three years. Her mind just needed to get her body under control.

Yet, there was the way his eyes looked up at her expectantly, he had smoothed a blanket for her by his side. The deep engrained societal norm of not being so close to a man flooded her unexpectedly. The way he looked at her unabashed reminded her she wasn’t in a society anymore, there was no expectation of propriety, so she went and sat by his side. He laid his head on her lap and her heart threatened to jump out of her ribs as she looked down at him. She had to shove it down. He was just as beautiful as usual, it was discomforting.

She focused on reading instead: this was a story of a princess and a knight, falling in love. Kakashi liked romance books. He always listened intently, sometimes asking her to repeat something just because he liked the sound of it, or the imagery. This time though, it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep beside her. The remaining curse was still eating at his essence. 

Now that she could, she took advantage of the privacy to study him. His silver hair called to her first; she reached out to touch it. It was softer than she expected and so luminous. The beauty mark under his lip made her want to reach out but she had to stop herself from grazing her fingertips over it. Then there was the fresh scar down his eyebrow to his mid-cheek. She wished she could have healed it clean, but also, part of her, liked it. It added something dangerous to his dazzling perfect face.

If she let herself, she could watch him sleep all day long, she wondered if he would mind. He probably wouldn’t, but maybe she needed a little space to herself before her hands kept moving lower to his shoulders and below. Her cheeks flushed at the indecent adult thought. She had certainly been away from people for far too long. Her mind needed to be reined in, just because he looked human didn’t mean he was human. Instead of continuing to torture herself, she quietly stood up and went to tend to her garden.

Sakura was wading through the river to check the traps when she heard her name being called out. Such a strange sound, to hear it floating in the air, to hear any voice that wasn’t her own dancing through the wind. She didn’t answer, taking in how sound made its way to her ears until she heard a desperation in the voice she couldn’t ignore anymore.

“I’m over here, Kakashi,” she shouted back, walking to the riverbank as Kakashi ran towards her.

“You left me alone,” he accused. It had been the oddest experience to wake up somewhere dark and comforting that wasn’t his nest, to have her scent surrounding him but she wasn’t near him. It had woken him with a start, he needed to be by her side, to know she was nearby in case he needed her in this fragile cursed state.

She was confused. “What?”

“I wasn’t expecting to be alone,” he was flustered. Didn’t she understand? He was depending on her to look after his wellbeing, she couldn’t just leave him alone. He needed her.

He looked lost and unsure of what to do. Taking pity on him, she walked over, giving him the bag of fish she had caught. “I thought you were used to being alone, didn’t think you would mind.” She really hadn’t, part of it was that he seemed to be the loner type and the other because she was so used to being alone it didn’t dawn on her to think about him wanting company.

Kakashi looked down at the bag, not wanting to meet her glistening malachite eyes. They unsettled him now that he could see them so closely. “I like being around you,” he admitted.

Heat flowed through her cheeks. How could he say something like that with a straight face? “I do too.” It came out quickly before she lost the nerve. “Come on, let’s get these fish cooked.” She pulled him back to the kitchen, wanting to get out of the bright sun that just illuminated his bare torso.

He placed the bag of fish on the counter and watched her work. She scraped off scales, gutted and cleaned the fish before she cooked it. Humans were so delicate. Curiosity had him asking questions and trying to help. He did his best, considering he wasn’t used to having hands, but she healed every little nick he gave himself until she finally just took the knife from him.

After dinner, they went back to her makeshift library to read the book she had started earlier. “I’ll read this time,” he declared.

She smiled, this was new and different. “Sure, it would be nice to have someone else read for once. My parents used to read to me before.”

This time she laid back on the cushions as he read to her. His voice was deep and calming. The sound was making her chest ache. How could she have gone so long, even having forgotten what a voice sounded like? How it curled in wisps in her ear, how it reverberated in her skull, the lull in her mind. It had taken so much time to let silence become her solace and now hearing a voice so clearly, it brought back so much pain but also a comfort only he could provide to her. Before his voice came from within her, like an underground spring bubbling in her mind with his words. It still felt a little like that, but now it had an added dimension, and it enveloped her wholly in its safety.

The soft, even breaths of her sleep told him she had fallen unconscious. He looked down at her sleeping figure; he always enjoyed the slow rhythm of her breathing. The way she tucked her hands under her cheeks when she slept. Wanting a better look now that he could, he laid down in front of her. Her hair was falling around her, locks across her nose. He reached up to touch it. It was like spun silk. Bringing it to his nose, he sniffed it carefully. She smelled like spring florals, freshly melted snows, sunrise. His arms reached around her, it didn’t cover her like his wings did, but he could keep her warm. She nuzzled into him unconsciously and he smiled, she was still his little human. Sleep easily came to him with that knowledge.

Sakura woke up sometime in the night sweating. It was so hot, like a furnace. Kakashi was sleeping, wrapped up around her, the heat was radiating from him. She untangled herself from his limbs. Getting up, plucking at the fabric of her dress that stuck to her skin. He had never been that hot before. She needed to cool down so she went to drink some water from a pitcher she kept in the kitchen.

He must have noticed her absence because it wasn’t long before she heard his steps coming from behind her. Guilty that she woke him up from his much needed sleep, she turned to him sheepishly. “Sorry, I got thirsty. You were running hot.”

He scratched the back of his neck bashfully. He had made her uncomfortable. “Sorry, I guess controlling my temperature is difficult right now.”

She handed him water, he looked like he needed it too, he drank it greedily. “It’s fine, just felt like I was in the middle of a fire.” She laughed trying to calm his growing unease.

“I’ll try harder to stay cooler. Let’s go back to sleep.” He took her hand trying to guide them back to their little nest. He just wanted to have her back in his arms, to feel her soft skin, something he hadn’t ever been able to do until now, and if he was going to be stuck in this form for who knows how long, this was one of the upsides.

“We can sleep in a bed,” she offered, her voice soft. Not that she didn’t like their pile of throws and pillows, but a bed would make her back happier, so instead, she pulled him to the top of the tower to her bedroom. Again, she had to suppress the notion of indecency as she tugged the sheets down, getting into bed and motioning for him to join her.

He climbed in after her eagerly, pulling her close to him. Her scent calmed him. “The bed is nice,” he conceded as he snuggled her hair and neck.

She giggled, she wasn’t used to being held and touched. It made her think of when she was a child and she slept with her favorite doll, or when she would sneak into her parents’ room when she had a nightmare and they would cover her in their arms. She felt like a child or like a toy, his large body encased hers like he was never going to let go and she wished he never would. “Beds are nice.” She agreed as they fell back asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts on the story.  
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> Thank you for reading.  
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	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,  
> I have another update for this story and some amazing artwork at the end.
> 
> Special thanks to the ever wonderful Katydid001 for being so patient with beta'ing this story.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

##  **[Land of Fire and Bones Ch 4 ](https://archive.org/details/land-of-fire-and-bones-ch-4) **

## Length: 19:53

## 

Getting used to Kakashi as a human had its ups and downs. There were things he did that were so completely him. He still slept a lot, throwing his lean body onto the grass fields, lounging on the riverside; he only ever slept in bed if she was with him. When he was awake, he loved to read, he was constantly touching her, holding her. It was strange but welcome. Sakura couldn’t remember the last time she had felt another’s touch.

She lifted her skirts as she wadded into the river, sighing happily at the cool water at her feet.

“Why don’t you just get in?” Kakashi lifted his head from the book he was reading as he laid on the riverbank.

She blushed, her clothes were thin and if she went in, they wouldn’t do much to cover her nudity. “Um, it’s fine.”

He chuckled, “I really don’t understand, I have seen you naked many times before. Why are you so bashful now?”

Her face heated up even more, “Well, that was different.”

“How so? I’m still me, just more compact.” He stood up, motioning down his human physique as he walked over to the water.

“Being naked in front of a human man is different from a dragon,” she grumbled.

Sakura chewed her lip as he pulled off his shirt and pants, leaving him naked as he joined her in the water. Compact wasn’t a word she would use to describe him. He was still large, even as a human, and still so warm and comforting.

Kakashi made a scoffing sound in the back of his throat. “Humans, so strange with your need of clothes when there is no good reason for it.”

She relented not having a good excuse. “Fine, just stop teasing me.”

He laughed as he wadded deeper until the water was at his waist. “You know, I don’t know how to swim.”

It was her turn to laugh, throwing her clothes back to the bank. “You can’t swim?”

“I’m a dragon, why would I need to swim?” He waited for her to join him, holding his hand out when she reached him. His eyes lingered on her soft curves, seeing her up close like this was a little different than seeing her in his dragon form. He could actually reach out and touch her soft, vulnerable skin.

She took his hand and pulled him deeper so she could hide under the water. “I could teach you.”

“You are going to teach a dragon to swim?” he smiled at her grin as he followed her in.

“You’re a human now, you should learn to swim, just in case.” Her feet were treading water as he stood, his head still above water. She yelped as his hands went to her waist, pulling her closer.

Noticing her flinch, he released her. “Sorry, just thought I’d save you the trouble.”

It was still strange to feel another’s hands on her, especially when they were naked. “It’s okay, just—it’s been a long time. Now come one, I’m sure you will learn quickly.”

They played around, Kakashi did learn fast, and the longer they spent together the more Sakura forgot about her modesty. When they got out, she didn’t think twice of laying on the blanket, naked as the sun dried them.

Kakashi was used to Sakura curled up next to him under his wings, but now, his arms couldn’t provide her protection, so instead he just slept beside her, letting the trees provide them shade.

She woke up to him playing with her hair, running his fingers through it gently, his hands caressing her head. She hummed contently; it had been a very long time since anyone had given her attention like that.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” he stilled as she stirred.

“Mmmm… keep going, it feels nice.”

He smiled at her sleepy, relaxed face, and kept raking his fingers through her hair. The strands slipped through his hand like water, soft as silk, shimmering like pink sapphires in the sun. Maybe there were benefits to being in human form.

In the weeks that passed, Sakura had growing accustomed to him as a man, to his human company. It was so different and at the same time it was exactly him. In her deepest of hearts, she almost wished he would never heal so he would never leave her, or at least for him to stay longer. She knew that was selfish, but she couldn’t help wanting someone around. It had been so many years since she had been able to even look upon another human.

They were under a tree and he was reading another romance. Her head was on his lap because he had taken a great liking to playing with her hair. They were at the part where the prince was about to kiss the girl. Kakashi stopped reading. Sakura looked up at him in confusion.

“Why did you stop reading? That’s the best part,” she whined.

“Is it? Kissing is the best part?” He questioned with a small smirk.

Her eyes widened as if caught doing something indecent, then a pink tint fell across her cheeks. “It’s the best part of romance stories, the two falling in love, finally admitting their feelings and sharing it with a kiss. It’s romantic,” she sighed overdramatically.

He chuckled as her eyes fluttered. She looked sweet with the soft pinkness across her cheeks, the light filtering through the leaves onto her opal skin. Her chest rose dramatically, pressing against the thin fabric of her top. “Romantic? I suppose.”

“Well, what’s romance to you? How do you tell another dragon you like her?” She was curious now.

“Dragons, we like gifts, shiny things, having a nice nest,” he answered. “And there’s a dance if they agree to be committed.”

She giggled, “A dance of dragons, that must be spectacular.”

“It is something to behold.” He looked up at the sky.

“Have you ever courted someone?” She sat up to look at him. His eyes softened as he gazed up. She wasn’t sure if he was missing being in the sky or thinking of commitment. She wondered if he missed other dragons, if he had someone special to him. He had never mentioned anyone to her before, she just naturally assumed that they were the solitary creatures the books portrayed and Kakashi hadn’t ever challenged that idea when she asked.

He shook his head. “Not another dragon, there are so few of us left. We don’t actually mate that way very often anymore, hence why we learned the magic to change forms into humans.”

“Oh, so have you ever been with a human before?” Her interest was piqued, she didn’t really know much about Kakashi, his history, or his personal life.

To her, he just showed up, brought her gifts, kept her company, and went off. She used to ask him questions at first, wanting any sliver of information from the outside world, but he just brushed her off. He didn’t participate in society so he couldn’t tell her much. He would instead talk about mountains, and skies, his nest, and animals he would encounter. If he ever did talk about human’s, it was never in a positive light.

He chuckled at her innocent curiosity. She hadn’t probed him for information in a long time. “No, I haven’t been with a human before. I haven’t spent much time outside my true form.”

“Oh, well maybe you could learn a few things about love from these books,” she teased.

“Like kissing?” He looked at her, she flushed again, her bottom lip between her teeth. “Have you ever kissed someone?” he asked, loving the rosy coloring on her cheeks.

She looked down, embarrassed. “No, I wasn’t very popular with boys growing up.”

“Why?” He didn’t understand what was considered popular.

“Um, well, I’m not very pretty, I have a big forehead, and my best friend was much prettier than me.” She admitted shyly, remembering how everyone used to tease her for her forehead. How the boy she liked barely paid her any attention. But they would flock to Ino, with her pretty blonde hair and sea glass eyes. Sakura was always in her shadow, always the forgotten one.

He lifted her face, looking her over. He didn’t understand what humans would consider attractive. He had never once thought anything in particular about her forehead, and what would make her friend prettier? Humans, as usual, escaped his understanding. “But you have the most beautiful eyes, like emeralds. Your hair is the color of rose quartz, and your skin is like opals.”

She felt her body heat up at the tenderness of his words, she chuckled nervously, hoping to dispel the quickening of her heart. “Maybe I’ll grow up and be pretty, not that it matters, no one will see me here but you.”

Her voice had cracked sadly at the end. This wasn’t what she deserved. He took her hand. “In the books he always kisses her hand.” He brought hers to his lips.

His hot lips made her shiver. She let out a trembling breath as he released her. “It’s a form of respect and admiration.”

He leaned forward to kiss her cheek innocently, “And that kiss?”

She breathed out, the heat of his lips lingering on her skin. “It’s a sign of kindness, gratefulness, familial love.”

He kissed her forehead softly. “And here?”

Her eyes fluttered closed. “Um, protection, care.” He moved slowly down her face until she felt his breath on her lips, she stayed still, unmoving, unsure of what to do.

Her lips were trembling. “And a kiss on the lips is romantic love?” he questioned in a breathy whisper. She looked so willing and trusting, so eager and starved. Kakashi wanted to give her something, and if he was being truthful to himself, maybe he was curious too.

She nodded slightly, their noses grazing. “Yes.”

He pressed his lips to hers for a moment. It was quick and chaste. He pulled back and chuckled when he saw her face of surprise. “Is that it?”

Sakura growled in irritation. She could tell he was teasing her by his smug smirk caused by her flustered expression. “No, idiot, you did it wrong.” If he was going to embarrass her, he might as well kiss her correctly.

“Idiot? I’m two hundred years old.” He acted affronted but was amused by her outburst.

“And apparently you don’t know how to kiss correctly,” she seethed, keeping up with him.

“And how would you know, you’ve never been kissed,” he countered.

She sputtered, “No, but I’ve seen people do it, my parents and others.”

“And that makes you an expert?” He egged her on, continuing their scene. He knew he should stop but seeing her eyes fiery and cheeks blazing was always a treat.

“More than you, apparently.” Sakura grinned at seeing his eyes darken. She didn’t know why suddenly her stomach tightened just from his gaze.

“Fine, teach me,” he commanded.

“What!” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Got someone else to show me what a real kiss looks like?” He smirked.

“Oh, you are infuriating!” In her outburst she had reached for his shirt, grabbing it tightly. She hesitated, but he had a point, there was no one else, just him and her. If she ever wanted to know what it was like, this was her only opportunity.

She leaned forward, her nose touching his. “Don’t laugh,” she said under her breath, suddenly shy and aware if her inexperience.

“Why would I laugh?” Kakashi questioned gently, wanting to ease her worries. As much as they playfully bickered, he didn’t want her to be nervous.

“It’s my first time, I’m probably not very good,” she admitted timidly.

He placed his hand on her waist, tilting his head for a better angle and met her lips again.

Sakura was taken by surprise, but she gave into him, holding their kiss longer. His lips were soft and warm, fitting with hers. Her mind swirled as they continued, lost in the feel of him, the taste of him. She pulled back, breathless.

He watched her, she was panting softly, her eyes half lidded, her lips red and wet. She looked every bit the fair maiden of one of their books. “I think you can do better than that,” he said mischievously.

Her retort was cut off by his mouth back on hers. She moaned softly as her palms went to his chest. Their kisses becoming bolder, finding new ways to fit together. She gasped as they separated for breath.

“That’s more like it.” He smirked.

She scoffed softly, looking away. She knew she was blushing furiously, “You are such a pain,” she said, lacking any real bite.

He pulled her to him, laughing gently as he brushed back her hair so he could see her face. “I like kissing, it’s nice. Let’s kiss more.” He went back to her lips. Her kisses were delicate and eager. She was sweet and fresh, like when he flew over apple orchards at night.

“Mmmm…” she would have complained if he hadn’t been right. It would have never crossed her mind that a dragon would be such a great kisser. It made her heart thunder, and her belly flip. She wrapped herself around him, giving into his touches. “It is nice,” she agreed as he nipped at her lips.

“You taste so good,” He mumbled as her tongue slipped forward to trace his lips. His reached for hers, they circled each other, exploring this new sensation.

She moaned as their tongues swirled, she felt lightheaded, and greedy for more. She didn’t want to stop. They spent the afternoon learning how to kiss, where to touch, the best angles. Her dragon certainly was very curious, it helped that she was as well and wanted to learn as much as she could.

Summer rains had them indoors, curled up in the library, or in her room at the top, watching the stormy skies. They hadn’t washed in the river for a few days now, and Sakura was in dire need of a bath. Kakashi slept often, more than once she wondered if that was normal or not, but he didn’t ever complain so she stopped asking, instead she let him just lay about where he wanted. He reminded her of a cat, he found a cool spot he liked and would just curl on the floor, on the chair, anywhere.

She went to fetch water, filling the tub. She grabbed some vials of good smelling oils and dripped a few drops in. With her hair up, she stepped in, leaning her head back, sighing as she relaxed. Thoughts flitted through her mind, some were mundane everyday trivialities; like harvesting, getting ready for migration season, checking the fishing nets. Others were on how to keep herself entertained. She had taken up sewing, she was decent at it, maybe she could make something from all the random clothes Kakashi would drop at her feet sometimes.

Then there were the thoughts that just snuck up on her and punched her in the gut. Thoughts and memories of her life before this exile. She wondered about Ino, how her life was now, if she was married or not. She chased away the ones about her parents, they were too painful. The pattering softness of the rain was cut by the flash of lightning followed by a roar of thunder. This one had shaken her from the recesses of her mind. She looked out the window, hoping to see more.

“That was loud.” Kakashi stepped in, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Sakura smiled warmly at him, he looked so adorable, all sleepy and mussed. “Did it wake you?”

He nodded and yawned. When he felt awake enough, he looked over at her, she had her hands on the edge of the wooden tub, her chin on top as she watched the storm growing outside. Another bolt of lighting happened and she barely flinched. It reminded him how unyielding and fearless she could be, staring out into a storm as she relaxed in a bath.

“Mind of I join you?” he asked.

She looked back at him, again that annoying sense of propriety snuck up, but she squashed it down. It wasn’t like she needed to worry about what other’s thought or guard her modesty here. “Sure. I think we both fit.”

He pulled off his clothes, stepping in behind her as she made space for him. “I have never been in a bath before,” he said as he stretched his legs around her, so they could both be comfortable.

“I like baths, but during the summer I usually just clean up in the river.” She sat sideways to him, keeping her eyes on the storm raging outside.

Kakashi cupped his hand, pouring water on her back. “It smells nice.”

“I made oil from the cherry blossoms,” she answered. “Remember that carriage you brought earlier this year? It must have belonged to a doctor because it had books on medicine and herbs, but also some tools. So, I made some oils, don’t really need medicine, but the books were interesting.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” he chuckled as he pulled her to him. “Kiss me.”

She grinned and leaned over to him doing as she was asked. His hands cupped her face as hers settled on his shoulders. He gripped her hips so she could lay over him as he sank a little lower in the water. Even though the lightning and thunder raged on outside, Kakashi was still protecting her, covering her with his body, and it stirred feelings low in her stomach she wasn’t sure what to do about. They held each other, kissing, and caressing languidly for what seemed like hours as the storm continued on the other side of the tower.

Her head was on his shoulder as he kissed her forehead. “The water is cold; we should get out.” She moved to get up, but he held her.

“Oh, I can warm it up.” He wrapped his arms around her not letting her leave.

She giggled as the water heated to the perfect temperature. “My personal heater.”

“As long as we can stay here a little longer. I like this.” He kissed her nose.

Sakura went back to lay on his chest, “I like this too. I’m glad you’re here, Kakashi.”

He grabbed her hand, kissing every knuckle gently, “I’m glad you’re here too. You have saved my life twice now. You’re not too bad for a human.”

She laughed, “And you’re not all fire and brimstone for a dragon. You’re actually quite lazy.”

“I wouldn’t have to be all fire and brimstone if people would leave me alone.” He smirked. Kakashi looked down at her, as her fingers traced random patterns on his chest, he did the same to her back. He relished the moment, the air filled with the scent of ozone and cherry blossoms, with his tiny human in his arms.

* * *

The amazingly talented Chai was kind enough to fufil this request for me!

its just perfection! please check out her twitter <https://twitter.com/Chai_eeearnest>

Let her know how amazing she is!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed, please let me know with a comment below.  
> I'm don't think every readers needs to comment, but I highly want encourage anyway that makes someone feel comfortable to comment if they want. Let me know your thoughts! Favorite part? Line? Your reaction? Emojis, random button smashing, in a different language, it doesn't have to be long winded, or even coherent, I love the engagement.
> 
> I want to add, because I have been getting more of these lately, but please, don't ask me for updates, or offer critiques, or tell me what you would like me to do in my story. I do appreciate everyone's love and support, but those three things really derail me. I do my best to get updates out when I can, I have a group of people that I trust for critiques, and by the time I post stories, I already know what I'm doing. I don't want to be rude, just, I have been in a more sensitive head space lately with everything going on in my life and I thought I would mention it. I want to continue being productive for you guys because I really enjoy writing and sharing it with you guys and staying in a good head space is important for me to enjoy writing and get excited about sharing with you guys. 
> 
> As always, thank you all for your love and support. Its what keeps me excited and motivated, all the wonderful positivity is why i keep coming back!
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	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone,  
> I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I am not in a place where I can record, so for now I can't podfic this chapter but I wanted to share it since I had been holding on to this chapter for so long. When I get back to a place where I can record, I will add the audio.  
> Thank you.  
> Much love!

Even after a month with Kakashi, it was still unnerving how much Sakura craved him. She wanted his kisses constantly, and he never once tried to stop or deny her. He was just as needy as she was.

“I don’t ever want to stop kissing you,” Kakashi muttered against her lips. 

They were on a blanket in the flower field, and his body stretched out over hers. Their legs intertwined as he held himself up by his forearms, making sure to keep his weight off her. They had spent days lost in each other’s touches. All he wanted to do was smother himself with her, roll around in her scent and feel her skin; to be covered by her completely.

“So don’t. Every time we kiss, it feels better and better,” Sakura giggled breathlessly as he nuzzled against her cheek. Her hands clung to his bare back, and her legs hooked around his calves. His warmth spread to her heart and circled low in her abdomen. It was a strange feeling--she still wasn’t sure what to do about it.

With a smirk, he started moving down, kissing her jaw, her neck, her shoulder. He had found a few places that made her whimper sweetly. 

“Kakashi…” she breathed as he explored her skin. His hands were at her waist over her shirt, slowly moving up until they reached the underside of her breasts. “Aah! Don’t…” They still hadn’t touched each other that intimately. Though she knew it was stupid, she couldn’t help the embarrassment. The way her mounds tingled just by the proximity of his hands was too much to handle.

“I can feel your heart beating.” He pressed his lips against the pulse on her neck. It thrummed excitedly and let him know she was enjoying what they were doing. His hands settled on her ribs, under the swell of her breasts, stopping at her request, even though he badly wanted to touch.

Sakura mewled under his attention and sank her hands into his silver hair. He had been with her for a little over a month. It should have been enough time for him to heal, but she wasn’t sure how dragons differed. The dark thought that his time with her was coming to an end seeped in and ended the calm euphoria she had been feeling.

“What will happen when you can transform back to your true form?” she asked aloud.

Kakashi stopped kissing her and looked up to see her eyes full of fear and slight anger. He was unsure of how to answer her in a way that wouldn’t make her upset. “I have been able to transform for at least a week now.” he sighed, “I just didn’t want to leave you yet.” His thumb grazed her cheek as she looked at him in surprise. “I’m still your friend. I’ll always visit.”

Cold chills ran down her spine. She sat up, needing to get her bearings. Eventually, he would leave; she had always known that. Still, it stung to know that after becoming accustomed to him, she would be alone again. After the closeness they had shared all this time, an ache settled in her abdomen. She nodded sadly. As much as she wanted to ask him to stay, she knew that request was too much. Instead, she tried to satisfy herself with the knowledge that he would come back to her like usual.

“Yeah, you’re right,” she muttered.

The way her emerald eyes sparkled with wetness as they turned away, and her bottom lip quivered, had him offer something he never thought he would. 

“Would you like to see my nest?” he asked. He never liked leaving her with that sad, lonely, forlorn look, but this time, it felt different. It hurt his heart more than before.

Sakura snapped to look at him, letting out a soft laugh of uncertainty. Even though she didn’t know much about dragons, she _did_ know that his offer to show his nest was monumental. “You want to show me your nest?”

The small smile and look of hopefulness on her beautiful face had him nodding, “I’ll show you my nest if you want to see it.”

“And how would I get there?” She lifted her eyes towards the closed-off trail.

Lost in his desire to see her smile, he hadn’t thought about that detail. There was only one way to take her. Dragons never did it, for it was degrading to their pride, but for her, he could push that aside. 

“You can ride me,” he said slowly.

“Ride you?” she squeaked in shock. “You would allow a human to ride on your back?” 

Wide eyes looked at his face. Soft pink dusted the bridge of his nose and tops of his cheeks. It seemed to be a hard thing for him to offer. Maybe harder than letting her see his nest.

“I would allow _you_ ,” he corrected briskly.

She flushed. Seeing a dragon’s nest and living after was exceedingly rare, but riding a dragon? That was unheard of. His slate eyes looked at her intently. Her heart throbbed at the intensity of his gaze. He was offering her something extremely intimate. “As long as you promise not to drop me,” she teased gently but also meant it in truth.

He smirked, glad that she was smiling at him. It made it easier to dispel the anxiety in his chest while he had waited for her acceptance. “I would never let anything happen to you.”

In a shimmering haze, his hands turned to talons. Wings connected his arms to his shoulders. His skin turned to silver scales. A yelp escaped at seeing his massive form in front of her again. Her silver dragon filled her vision and overtook the landscape. He was just as dazzling as she remembered.

Sakura stood up, tucked her shirt back into her skirt, went up to his snout, and gave him a soft kiss. “You’re so beautiful.”

_So are you. Now get on._ Kakashi lowered his shoulder and wing so she could climb up.

Once she found a firm grip between his scales and footholds, she leaned down low as he took off. The rushing air pressure overwhelmed her senses. He was ascending too quickly for her. The popping of her ears made her scream.

_Sorry, never had a human on my back before._ He slowed and started forward. _Are you alright?_

If she could have talked, she would have told him she was fine, just startled. Instead, Sakura focused on regaining her hold that had slipped. When she secured herself again, she tapped his shoulder in a sign that he could continue. He soared through the air. As she grew accustomed to being in the air, she gained the courage to look down at the passing mountains, rivers, lakes, and even a few towns. He flew slow and steady, letting her get comfortable enough to enjoy the wind in her face.

It had been almost four years since she had left that tower. This was a liberty she would never have had the opportunity to experience if she hadn’t been exiled. She would have never met Kakashi if she had stayed in her village. Laughter uncontrollably bubbled up at this freedom she hadn’t felt in years. He began to descend near a mountain with a clear blue lake. There was a cave opening he headed towards. He landed near the entrance as she pressed herself to him, not wanting to be lifted off him from the upward air as he went down.

Her skirt caught on scales, so she took her time clambering down. The air was colder in the mountains than the valley; it was crisp and smelled of cold stone. The evergreen forest added a sweet, sappy scent to the air. She breathed in deeply and took it all in. From the edge, she could see the deep-green trees blanketing the mountainside and the topaz lake below. Birds she hadn’t heard in years trilled and cawed around her. 

Kakashi watched her standing still as the goosebumps from the chill rose on her arms. She smiled as she took in the scenery and sounds. Her rosen hair was lifted by the breeze, her skirt wanting to follow. She was so beautiful, more than anything he had ever acquired.

“This is your home?” She turned to peer into the darkness of his cave, then down the mountainside. “It’s beautiful.”

With a nod and a small snort of agreement, he started walking in. Her tiny steps sounded on the rock after his talons as she followed him deeper.

When they reached the inner cavern, he spit out small fires, lighting lanterns throughout, slowly illuminating the area. The ground shimmered like water, like a golden, silver lake. Gold and silver covered the floor. Never had she seen so much, and Sakura wondered if anyone could spend that much in a lifetime. 

“Wow...”

He stepped into the center of the pool of valuables, sinking into the treasures, circling it like a dog ready to lay down. His enormous tail swung to move things aside and create a dip for a bed to lay in.

Near her, emeralds and rubies glinted at her. Filled with curiosity, Sakura reached for them and pulled out a crown. Behind that, there were more things, gems, jewelry, necklaces. “There’s so much here!” she exclaimed, lifting the crown to the light. “How long have you been collecting?” She put it back down, picking up other things to inspect.

_Over a hundred years. That tower of yours used to belong to a kingdom that attacked me, so I destroyed them._

She took a moment to comprehend what he said. “You destroyed a kingdom?”

_I was young and temperamental,_ he explained with a hint of amusement.

“Temperamental? That’s some tantrum to throw,” she sniggered. Her interest led her through a tour of the cavern. The stonewalls echoed the sound of rushing water. As she followed the sound, it led her to a path.

“What’s down there?” she asked.

Kakashi looked to where she was pointing, quirking his head in an approximation of a shrug as he lowered his head. _Don’t know. Never been, but there’s water from the sounds of it._

She scoffed at his statement. “Obviously, I can hear it.” There was a torch nearby. She grabbed it and held it in front of her as she started to walk.

_Where are you going?_ He lifted his head quickly.

“Just going to see what’s down there,” she answered.

_You can’t go alone. What if you hurt yourself?_ He hadn’t brought her here to go wandering around dark cave paths and lose her somewhere.

Sakura giggled, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

There was a shimmering haze around Kakashi as he transformed back into a man. He grabbed a pair of pants and pulled them on for her sake. “I don’t know where that goes. If something were to happen to you, I wouldn’t be able to get to you,” he huffed in irritation as he reached her side.

She laughed, “My protector.” He took the torch from her as she hooked her arm in his, “Let’s go for a walk then.”

Her happy, satisfied smile had him following her, exploring new places. The look of curiosity was something he liked on her face. The deeper they got, the chillier the air became; he wrapped his arm around her and increased his body temperature to keep her warm. The path was sinuous but relatively smooth from heavy usage ages ago. He hadn’t ever put much thought into this part of the mountain. As long as it wasn’t an entrance to his cave from the outside, he had been content to let it be.

Sakura looked around the slate walls, the firelight dancing, illuminating veins of metal on the rock. “Was this a mine?”

He lifted his nose and sniffed the air. The metallic tang was thicker down here than in his cave. “Must have been at some point from the look of it. The mountain is rich in a special iron. The minerals here have made the iron particularly strong and can take magic imbuing well.”

She let go of him to inspect a metallic vein. It was her first time seeing raw ore, it wasn’t the shiny polished steel, but rock threaded with icy blue specks that glinted where there wasn’t dirt. “How do you know that?”

“Call it dragon intuition.” He smirked.

“I should have known.” She smiled wryly as she went back to his side for warmth. The walls sparkled around them. “It’s very pretty.”

Kakashi hummed in agreement as they continued farther into the mountain. The benefit of his human form was that he could reach over to her small body and place a hand on the swell of her hips. In return, she could wrap her arm around his waist and nuzzle into his side. Her sweet fruity scent overwhelmed his nose. The longer he was in this form, the more advantages he found to it.

Sakura took in the other sights of their route. Stalactites hung like chandeliers as the path opened. With a deep breath, the deep earthy scent filled her along with another scent, clean water with a hint of something else, something tangy like sulfur. The air warmed and became humid as they entered another cavern.

“Oh, wow,” she said softly in awe.

They ended in an underground hot spring, fed from a waterfall that emerged from the rocks above. The metallic ore weaved through the walls created a galaxy of streams and bright spots in the dark walls as the firelight flickered. The water seemed to glow from below in the same effervescent silvery-blue light. She reached the edge of the pool, dipping her hand in, perfectly hot.

Kakashi took off his pants and stepped forward into the water to test it out. He sunk into the water, enjoying the heat surrounding him. “This is nice.”

Quickly, shedding her clothes, she followed him in. Sakura reached him with a grin as his hands held her waist. “This is nice. And you never would have found it without me,” she smiled smugly at him.

He chuckled, “I suppose not.”

“You can thank me with a kiss.” She smirked as her fingers gripped his hair to pull him closer until their lips met. He pulled her to him as their kiss deepened. His kisses always left her dizzy, but she felt even more lightheaded and eager with the heat and steam.

Her legs wrapped around his waist, their naked embrace something new to them. He had held her while in the bath, but she always had her back to him. Kakashi grunted softly as her closeness stirred something in his lower belly. He had felt the rising heat before and the half-hardening of his member. But now, pressed between them and the light friction from her had his length twitching. His hands found their place on the lower curve of her rear as he walked them closer to the edge so they could sit.

The tingling under her skin had her wanting to be as close to him as possible. Her chest pressed against his as they pulled each other closer. The groan he let out was different than the one she usually got from him. It was a sound that caused the fire in her core to lick up her abdomen. Sakura couldn’t help as her hands grew bolder and kisses became feverish. She gasped as his hardness pressed against her mound deliciously. It was an intense new feeling, or maybe not new, but definitely _more_. He had never pulled her in so close _down there_ before. It was too much, and it felt so good. He jerked his hips, and without thought, she jumped away from the unknown stimulation that sparked up her spine.

The loss of her body on his snapped his eyes open. Her eyes were wide, her face covered in a heated blush as her hand covered her mouth. He couldn’t help but laugh; she looked adorable. “Are you alright?” he reached to brush back her hair gently.

“I’m sorry, I just…” she just suddenly felt too vulnerable and embarrassed at her sharp reaction.

Her eyes looked away in shame, and it cut his heart. “It’s okay.” His hand reached to cup her cheek, hoping to comfort her.

She looked up to his soft granite eyes. His gentle smile settled the nerves that were going haywire. With a deep breath and a low, sheepish laugh, she took his hands in hers. “I know. It's just more than I expected.”

Kakashi chuckled, shifting to a better sitting position, so she sat on his thighs with a little more space. “I know what you mean.”

Through the ripples of the water, she glanced at his erection, quickly looking away. It's not like she hadn’t seen everything before from glances when they swam or bathed, but this was different. _It_ was different. Larger than she had expected from the drawings in the medical books she had studied.

Sensing her rising panic, he pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek, pushing back her bangs, “Sakura, relax. Nothing you haven’t seen before.” He tried to joke with her.

Another embarrassed laugh escaped her. “I’m sorry, I just never really seen…” Sakura didn’t know what to say. This conversation just needed to end. She turned her eyes away from him and to the sparkling ceiling. “Um, it’s really pretty here.”

He adjusted her on his lap, sitting her sideways as he rubbed her thighs soothingly. “Yeah, it is. I can bring you here whenever you want.” He nibbled gently on her shoulder and followed with a light kiss.

She giggled at his playful nips from her shoulder, up her neck until he reached her tickle spot under her ear. “Kakashi, stop. It tickles.”

His lips moved down to the pulse on her neck, suckling gently. Her giggles turned to soft mewls as she relaxed for him. The hot water lapped at their chests. He scooped some into his hand and poured it down her arm, watching droplets trail down. The opalescent sheen of her skin was otherworldly in the glow of the water—his beautiful little human.

The awkwardness she had been feeling melted away in the warmth of the water. Tendrils of steam rose into the air, curling around them as she rubbed her cheek against his. He was all she had. Her dragon that could turn into a man that was starting to make her feel like a woman.

They stayed in the water for what seemed like hours, talking, touching, kissing, enjoying the heat of the water and each other. Finally, she laid her head on his shoulders sleepily. “We should probably head back,” he murmured against her hair.

They made their way back to his nest, leaving the warmth for the chilly cavern. When they arrived at his nest, Kakashi transformed back. He could warm her and protect her better in this form.

_It must be cold for you._ He laid down so she could take her spot under his wing.

“It’s fine when I’m next to you.” Needing his heat, Sakura went to him. She snuggled into his side. It was a spot she liked, it was soft and fleshy, no scales, and when she pressed her hand against it, she could feel his heartbeat.

_There are furs and things over there._ He pointed his snout over to one side of the cavern.

“I’ll go look in a bit.” She made herself comfortable beside him.

He stretched his neck out, carefully grabbing a book between his teeth and bringing it back to her. She took the hint and started reading.

After reading for a bit, she went to where he had pointed to earlier, searching for some furs to lay on. Surprise overtook her as her mind processed what she was seeing. There was an entire carriage; a large, really lovely, elegantly carved, and decorated carriage. She giggled at the thought of how he had brought it in so intact. He would have had to be very careful to bring it in undamaged. There were gold leaf and flower carvings on the door, and the handle was silver and filigreed. Opening the door, she looked in. It smelled a little dusty but in good condition. She took the cushions off so she could sleep on them, then went to gather the furs and coats to create a makeshift bed.

As she created her own little nest between all the piles of valuables, a small circlet caught her eye. She picked it up and laughingly put it on.

“Do I look like a queen?” she joked.

_Maybe some more jewelry,_ he teased back, loving the way her eyes glinted as she smiled.

She gathered a handful of necklaces, bracelets, a ring for every finger, the largest earrings she could find. “How about now?” She grinned, posing for him in her best mockingly regal stance she could think of. Back straight, chin held high, her hands on her hips to show off all her jewels.

_That’s better,_ he agreed with a chuckle as she stood tall.

“I shall be the queen of The Lone Tower, from the Kingdom of the Hidden Valley,” she proclaimed.

With a snort of amusement, he teased back, _Such a powerful queen._

She chortled, “A kingdom of one, who can argue with me?” The weight of the jewelry in her hands became uncomfortable, so she took everything off and crawled into her makeshift bed.

Tucking his tail protectively around her, they curled into their usual position for sleeping. _I’ll argue with you if it makes you happy._

She smiled as her heart skipped. “I would love that.”

Violence woke them, men yelling out commands of attack, the twang of bowstrings echoed as the thuds of arrows hitting stone and metal joined in the cacophony.

Kakashi roared, deep and menacing. This was his home, and he wanted peace. He was tired of all these attacks, and even worse, Sakura was here; he needed to protect her. He stood up to cover her with his body. With a righteous growl, he breathed fire at the intruders. Once they were blinded and stunned, he swung his mighty tail, sweeping a few away.

Sakura screamed as an arrow flew past her.

She ran underneath his chest to the back of the cave, trying to stay out of his way. She found a bow and arrows and a small enough sword to strap around her waist. Men were starting to surround Kakashi. She knocked an arrow and let it fly to the man closest to him. She wasn’t thinking anymore; she just let her body move. She had become an excellent archer, practicing hunting squirrels, rabbits, and when the birds migrated through the valley. It was simple, knock, aim, shoot. In the heat of the moment, she didn’t differentiate that they were humans and not animals that she was shooting. All she knew was that she needed to protect herself and Kakashi in the one way she knew how.

“Are you alright?” she asked as she let loose another arrow, embedding itself into a fleshy thigh. The men started to retreat, pulling back the injured and leaving the fallen. There were cries of curses and vengeance as the few remaining found their way back to the entrance.

_I’m fine. The survivors are leaving._ Kakashi let loose another roar and a plume of fire towards the cave opening. Once satisfied the attackers had left, he picked up the bodies with his massive teeth and threw them out of his nest.

Sakura stepped out from her safe corner. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

He stretched out his wings, taking inventory of his body. _No, I’m fine._ He turned to her, his snout sniffing her. _Are you alright?_

She placed her hand over his nose as she dropped the bow. “Yes, I’m fine. That was some wake-up call.”

He nodded, walking out into the sun, pushing out the pile of bodies over the cliffside. He hadn’t thought that Sakura would jump into the fray and defend him. Seeing the arrows fly past him to protect him had been surreal. He never expected her to stand with him and against other humans.

Her chuckle broke him from his reflections. He noticed how she watched him dispose of the bodies. _You don’t like dead bodies in your house, neither do I._

“You are absolutely right. It’s just bad decor.” She looked out into the forest. In the distance, she could see the remaining men and their horses ride down the mountain.

_They come often enough that it’s annoying._ Kakashi explained as he followed her line of sight.

Out in the open, he stretched his wings out to their full span. Sakura was always amazed at how large he was and how oddly domestic he could be, stretching his back like a cat waking from a nap. He then curled under the morning sun, preening at his scales, plucking out the ones that new ones were replacing.

“Does that hurt?” Sakura picked up a scale he had tossed to the ground, it was big enough to cover her torso but almost weightless, and she knew it to be almost impenetrable.

_Not really, like plucking a hair. Do you want to head back?_ He wondered how she was feeling after the attack.

“Back to Lone Tower in the Hidden Valley?” She said slowly, in a sigh, not ready to leave yet.

_There are no humans there. You are safe, unlike here,_ he reasoned.

“I suppose you’re right.” She let out a sardonic chuckle. “That’s the first time I have seen men in the last four years. It wasn’t a good impression.”

_I am rarely impressed by your kind._

“Are you impressed with me?” she grinned at him.

A low snort left him. _You are the exception so far_.

Satisfied, she nodded and sat at the edge of the cliff looking out, “Good. I don’t want to leave yet. If that’s alright with you?”

His neck stretched out, his head beside her. _That’s fine. We’ll leave when you want._

“Can you take me to a town when we head back?” The towns had seemed so small from the sky. Sakura wondered what the towns on this side were like. It would also be useful to get supplies and maybe have a little taste of civilization. Seeing men, even ones attacking Kakashi, had brought up an ache of loneliness for her kind in her chest that she hadn’t felt in years.

His head tilted as his eye quirked. _You want to go to a town with humans?_

“I know it's been a long time, but I just want to see what it's like. How the world has continued while I’ve been in my lone tower.”

Seeing her worry, her bottom lip between her teeth, and twisting her fingers, he knew it was difficult for her, but there was also an intensity in her eyes. He nodded. _Yes, we can stop by a town on the way back._

Her bright smile made it worth the knowledge that even though he would have to transform into a human and interact with them, she would be happy. His fierce and curious human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed,  
> I highly want to encourage any way that makes someone feel comfortable to comment if they want.  
> Let me know your thoughts! Favorite part? Line? Your reaction? Emojis, random button smashing, in a different language, it doesn't have to be long winded, or even coherent, I love the engagement.
> 
> What comments are not for: Please, don't ask me for updates, or offer critiques, or tell me what you would like me to do in my story. These things, to be honest, are rude to ask of any creator and derailing.
> 
> I do appreciate everyone's love and support and I'm glad so many love my stories so much.  
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Much love and stay safe!
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> 
> My Twitter:  
> https://twitter.com/Moonlady9_

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed, please let me know with a comment below.  
> Leaving a comment or a kudos is the best way of letting authors know how much you are enjoying their story. I promise you, it doesn't have to be a long comment, we thrive on anything, your thoughts! Favorite part? line? Your reaction? a single emoji, random button smashing, in a different language, it doesn't have to be long winded if you don't want, just let us know your feelings.  
> I do go back and read them when I need some motivation.  
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> My Tumblr:  
> https://moonlady9.tumblr.com/
> 
> My Twitter:  
> https://twitter.com/Moonlady9_


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